The January transfer window might be Manchester United's most active since they signed a diminutive full-back called Patrice Evra and overcame Liverpool to sign an imposing centre half by the name of Nemanja Vidic.

Just like Sir Alex Ferguson in January 2006, Jose Mourinho wants to sign two defenders next month after his attempts to bolster United's defence in the summer were scuppered after the club failed to offload some of Louis van Gaal's duds. One of them, Marcos Rojo, is enjoying his richest vein of form in red but it is doubtful he has the makings of a title-winning centre half.

If United are to recruit players they will have to jettison them, too. Publicly, Mourinho insists those who leave will have to request to do so. Privately, he might agree with Paul Scholes' assessment earlier in the season he was not ruthless enough. United's squad quantity of 27 - now Bastian Schweinsteiger has returned to the fold - is fine but there is questionable quality.

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Mourinho could sell three of Van Gaal's signings and United supporters would barely notice their departures. Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin have not made a single Premier League start between them and Memphis has lined-up only once - in the EFL Cup. Matteo Darmian might have been added to that list had Antonio Valencia not fractured his arm. Now Luke Shaw has suffered another injury, Darmian could be reprieved again.

Schweinsteiger's return was something to behold against West Ham. While the ball was in play, the majority of the south stand attendants rose, cheered and applauded the midfielder as he prepared to come on, ignoring the procession in front of them. Mourinho hinted his shelf life at United might be extended.

The Stretford End got to serenade Schweinsteiger on Wednesday

Enthusiasm over Schweinsteiger's comeback is somewhat tempered by the glaring omission of Timothy Fosu-Mensah. Schweinsteiger's inclusion might be a shop window tactic but it reflected poorly on Mourinho that he selected a player he wants to sell over a teenage talent who recently signed a new contract against West Ham.

Fosu-Mensah has been restricted to two starts (both at right-back) and two cameos (in midfield) this season, and has not even had the benefit of figuring for the Under-23s to maintain his sharpness. A powerful and pacy footballer capable of playing in three different positions, his inexperience has seemingly counted against him as Mourinho tries to bring continuity to the United side. Fosu-Mensah's Instagram stories and Snapchats suggest he is relaxed about the situation.

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It might still smart that, as well as Schweinsteiger getting a run-out ahead of him, Fosu-Mensah has seen the jittery Darmian play at right-back amid interest from Italy. Mourinho does not appear to regard him as a central defensive option, judging by the focus on recruiting for that area, and the competition in Fosu-Mensah's preferred position of central midfield has intensified. Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin are behind four others in that department's pecking order.

Mourinho was so determined to dismiss his supposed lack of faith in youth as a myth he arrived at his maiden press conference in July with that list of 49 players he had promoted from his previous clubs' academies. The scramble to photograph the evidence among the assembled media was so chaotic a glass of water was spilt over the sheet but Mourinho has not shown similar eagerness with Fosu-Mensah - or Axel Tuanzebe.

Waiting to play for the first-team like...

Tuanzebe, now 19, continues to play at a level beneath his ability in the U23s and can be forgiven for being left demoralised by Phil Jones' reintegration into the first-team ahead of him. Jones, to his credit and general disbelief, has excelled and should be confident of remaining a first-teamer even when Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling are available again. That does not mean Tuanzebe should continue to be marginalised.

Mourinho explained ahead of September's trip to Rotterdam why Tuanzebe - and Fosu-Mensah - might have to be patient. "I bring a very good squad and I'm going to play with a very good team. I think that's the message I want to give them.

'You can stay in the directors' box.'

"To lose, we bring kids, we instead give experience to kids, chances to Tuanzebe and other great boys in the squad but maybe that would be the wrong message for me to give to my players." It would be right.

It is a tricky juggling act, managing novices and veterans. There are players at the club Mourinho wanted to sell in the summer but he is so conscious of devaluing a fringe player that a cynic would claim Schweinsteiger appears to have returned in the hope he might earn the Glazers a few more million. Shifting unwanted players is not as easy as it is on Football Manager.

And that could impact Mourinho's transfer plans. The cull might have to wait until the summer but there is no need to delay Fosu-Mensah's and Tuanzebe's development.